Breaking News: Glen Moray stays French

Pressrelease from Glen Moray/Glenmorangie Plc:

Glenmorangie progresses the sale of Glen Moray Distillery and brand

The Glenmorangie Company announces it has signed a Heads of Terms agreement for the sale of the Glen Moray Distillery in Elgin and the Glen Moray single malt Scotch whisky brand with the independent French spirits company, La Martiniquaise.

The sale of the Glen Moray Distillery represents an important part of The Glenmorangie Company’s re-organisation plans announced in July, which incorporate a major investment programme worth £45 million. The plans will see the Company focus on developing its highly successful, premium, international single malt Scotch whisky brands – Glenmorangie and Ardbeg – to meet the growing demand for single malt whisky in key and emerging markets such as Asia, Europe and the USA.

The Glen Moray Distillery will be sold as a going concern. It is expected that all the existing employees will transfer to the new owners as part of the sale agreement.

The deal is expected to formally complete before the end of October.

La Martiniquaise is a major spirits group in France. The Company, which is headquartered near Paris, already has significant Scotch whisky operations at Bathgate, West Lothian where Glen Turner single malt and Label 5 blended Scotch whisky are bottled – both leading Scotch whisky brands in France.

Chief Executive of The Glenmorangie Company, Paul Neep said: “We believe that La Martiniquaise will provide an excellent ‘home’ for the Distillery, the brand and its employees and they will continue to develop and expand the Glen Moray brand.”

Glen Moray Distillery was originally built as a brewery in 1831 and was converted to a distillery in 1897. The Glenmorangie Company has owned the distillery since 1920.

New Lowland distillery

Glen Turner Distillery, a subsidiary of one of the biggest spirit producers on the French market (COFEPP/La Martiniquaise), are expandig into production. The site, which was set up in 2004, has until now been used to mature, blend and bottle whisky (Glen Turner, Label 5 and Sir Edwards for the French market.

Purchasing whisky in Norway, Part 4: From abroad

Getting whisky sent to Norway from abroad is a perilous matter. Shourtly put it’s illegal, except when sent as a gift. Although this is about to change, as long as the ESA (EFTA Surveillance Authority – the body set to see to it that the EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein) follow the rule of the EEA (European Economic Area) treaty – i.e. do what the EU says).

Blasda Web

As with several previous expressions (Corryvreckan and 1965 spring to mind) Ardbeg has used the web to create a stir and more web-talk about this new expression (as if that would be necessary).

Ardbeg Blasda and even Mór Part 1 & Part 2.

Over at PrecisionMarketing one can read a bit about this new webdrive, created by a company called Story. Marketing-speak:

Story creative director Dave Mullen says: “Ardbeg is the wild child of the whisky world and it’s clear that the brand is not ready for settling down any time soon. Blasda is typically unorthodox and so is the digital campaign. We are pushing the barriers to challenge Ardbeg lovers but at the same time appeal to a new audience.”

Blasda Pictures here.

The website will contain some information on production “Dig a bit Deeper”, a game of “Tipple Topping where you can compeat [sic!] to win and a direct link to the Ardbeg webshop to purchase (pre-order) the Blasda.

Comittee members and other on Ardbegs mailinglist can be expected to receive an email in the near future with a link to this new microsite.

Or just follow this link: Ardbeg Blasda Microsite.

Re-Edit: The Microsite is back up again, without the “Compeat”-title.

Rosebank Revival

Rumours have been circulating for some time about the possibility of reviving the Rosebank distillery, though not on it’s original site. These rumours got more to fly on after the user tcurry48 at the WhiskyMag forums discovered that a planning application had been made to build a “Rosebank Distillery” just a few miles away from the original distillery.

Maltstock 2009

Want to sit in a field drinking whisky with whisky fans from all over the world (well, at least all over Europe – but one can always hope) – then Maltstock 2009 might be just the ticket for you.

A Dutch whiskyclub, The Bruichladdies, have come up with an idea to get as many whisky clubs together in one place – for a weekend of whisky.

The idea is for every club (don’t worry if you’re not in a club, make one for yourself and go) to bring along enough whisky for their own consumption and then share with the rest of the participants (I’m guessin club bottlings will be a big hit).

The price is reconned to be €150 (1215 NOK/£119) but might be lowered depending on the number of people attending. This includes a light meal on Friday evening, BBQ on Saturday, Full Scottish both days, snacks at midnight and room (well, a place in the fields for a tent or a bunk bed on a first come, first served basis). And of course a Maltstock nosing and tasting glass will also be included.

The big question is, will I be going? It’s tempting, but as with all such things the Mrs must be consulted – I’ll get back to you on that. What about you lot?

When?
Friday 4th to Sunday 6th September 2009

Where?
Just outside Nijmegen in Holland (The Netherlands for those preferring that description)

Getting there (for Norwegians)?
Fly in to Amsterdam (Schipol), train from the Airport to Nijmegen and then a bus to the site (bus 9 or bus 54 and ask the driver to stop at “Buitencentrum & St. Walrick”).  Other airports close by are Dusseldorf-Weeze (Niederrhein), Dusseldorf International Airport, Köln Airport (Cologne for the English speaking), Eindhoven Airport, Brussels Zaventem, Brussels South (Charleroi). For those arriving at these airport or not flying in at all, directions are available on the Maltstock website (link further down).

How?
Book or place a preliminary booking (if you’re not 100% sure you’re coming or how many are coming) at Maltstock’s website.

Website?
http://www.maltstock.com/

Duty Free News: Glenrothes

Next month (27-31 October) is the time for the annual Tax Free World Association (TFWA) World Exhibition in Cannes, France. Most distillers and bottlers tend to present new bottlings and expressions at this event. In the time leading up to the Exhibition press releases and “leaks” tend to trickle out through various sources. One of the first distillers to release a preview of things to come is Glenrothes Distillery (Edrington)

Ardbeg @ Copenhagen Airport

According to the webpage of the Duty Free retailer at Copenhagen Airport they’ve added three Ardbeg expressions to their assortement – great news for whisky fans. But, of course, there’s a downside to it.

The expressions are Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, Ardbeg Uigeadail and the biggie Ardbeg Corryvreckan!!! The latter was supposedly only available through the Ardbeg website, and for Ardbeg Comittee members only!

The major upset in this is the extreme pricing on these bottles, and this is the downside:
* Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist – 979 DKK (£105.07)
* Ardbeg Uigeadail – 855 DKK (£91.76)
* Ardbeg Corryvreckan – 1039 DKK (£111.51)

Not your normal off-license prices, but this is after all Duty Free in Denmark (so no taxes, but you have to travel out of the EU). Even when compared to prices in Norway these are prices of another world. In Norway the ANB cost 799 NOK (£80.05) and the Uigeadail is 749,90 NOK (£75.13), which again is steep when compared to Loch Fyne’s prices of respectively £46.10 (458,28 NOK) and £40.50 (402,61 NOK). Even Denmark best (and often most expensive) whiskyshop, Juul’s Vin og Spiritus, is 20-30% below the Duty Free prices at the airport on these expressions.

The “Members Only” Corryvreckan was sold from Ardbeg at a mere £45, but they’ve been sold out for some time now.

Update: Got word from Ardbeg. The Corryvreckan was supposed to go to the luxury lounge (probably the SAS Business Lounge) at the airport – for sampling only (no resale). Somehow the three bottles (that’s it) got put into the shelves of the Duty Free store, they are to be withdrawn immediately.

The Dalmore reopens webpage

The webpage for The Dalmore Distillery has been dormant for some time while all focus was on the repackaging and refurbishing of the whiskies. Now, finally, the webpage has been opened up again.

Quite a bit of work has gone into the creation of it, with a flowing animation and mood music to go with it. Unfortunately very little work has gone into the matter of contents. A few lines (with very colourful wording) on the production (Alechemist Artistry – Dynamic Distillation – Sublime Maturation – Harmonious Fusions), tasting notes and info on the range of expressions, history and a mailing list – that’s it.

The heavy graphics can take some time to load if you’ve got a slow line.

Visit the site here: www.thedalmore.com

Diageo Special Releases 2008

For the 8th year running Diageo are releasing a number of specially selected whiskies for their Special Release-series. This year there are ten different bottlings, with a total production of well under 70.000 bottles all in all. And as usual Diageo has one or two surprises in store for the avid whisky drinker/collector. The bottling will be released later this year. This years prices (RRP in the UK) range from £43 to £205 per bottle. All tasting notes are courtesy of Diageo (as are all pictures). So… on to the whiskies: